Newcomers to Canada learn to skate, ski at Camp Manitou outside Winnipeg

Newcomers to Canada took to the slopes and ice rinks Sunday to experience the thrills and chills of winter activities at Camp Manitou, just outside of Winnipeg.

“I’m skiing, but I’m nervous because it’s my first time,” one newcomer told CityNews.

“I didn’t know I was going to have such a great day,” said another. “Yeah it turned out really great.”

It’s all part of the “Welcome to Winnipeg” event hosted by the True North Youth Foundation. This year, the three-day event welcomed more than 150 participants.

“Coming to a new country, there’s so many different things you have to worry about,” said Jeff Hofer, the director at Camp Manitou. “It’s tough to meet people, build a community. So it’s nice that they can come here and experience what Canada has to offer.

“And it might be a little cold but they get to try some skiing, some snowshoeing. We’re going to get them at the hockey rink and teach them how to skate a little bit.”

Newcomers to Canada learn to skate at Camp Manitou on March 12, 2023. (Credit: CityNews/Mike Sudoma)

Hofer says it’s at no cost to the newcomers.

“We do this three times a year, and we’ve been doing this for five years now,” he said. “So we welcome families that are new to Canada, we cover all the costs to get here. They come try some winter activities, and we give them a nice lunch.”

Yana Heleva with the Zone Settlement Program at the Louis Riel School Division says it’s about making them feel welcome in Canada.

“For us this is a great opportunity to make them feel connected and introduce them to how Canadians have fun, not just to watch other people having fun but just participate and give them a little warmth in Canadian cold,” said Heleva.

“We have families from Nigeria, Colombia, Peru, Syria. For all of them, they are coming from countries that don’t even have snow.”

Newcomers to Canada learn to skate at Camp Manitou on March 12, 2023. (Credit: CityNews/Mike Sudoma)

That was the case for several newcomers Sunday experiencing their first winter ever.

“We are from Nigeria where it’s a little bit warmer, but this here, it’s cold. Change of culture for me,” he told CityNews.

And while some got a hang of the activities, others weren’t as quick to catch on.

“You see how it’s done in the movies, it’s so easy,” they said. “But right now that I’m on it (the ice)… no.”

Newcomers to Canada learn to skate at Camp Manitou on March 12, 2023. (Credit: CityNews/Mike Sudoma)